Sliding car door



Sept. 29, 1936. w. A. BEAUCHAMP SLIDING CAR DOOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 9, 1933 booeoeooo 0 M II IN! I l llll lllwllllbllllwll I a o.

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SLIDING GAR DOOR Filed June 9, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MLFeED A. ISEHUCAHMP Patented Sept. 29, 1936 SLIDING CAR DOOR Wilfred A. Beauchamp, Chicago, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, to The Youngstown Steel Door Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio A Application June 9, 1933, Serial No. 675,005

14 Claims.

This invention relates to sliding doors for railway house cars.

It is an object of this'invention to provide sliding car doors which shall be free of hangers or other rolling fixtures andbe capable of being frictionally supported or disposed upon rolling means for movement toward open and closed positions. 1

A further object is to provide sliding doors for railway house cars having normal frictional engagement upon said cars and means carrying rolling devices associated with but independent of said doors for releasing such engagement and supporting said doors for antifrictional movement.

A further object is to provide sliding doors which shall be frictionally supported in their normal closed positions and means associated therewith for elevating said doors above their frictional support and exerting a positive force to said doors to impart opening movement thereto.

A further object is to provide sliding doors which shall be supported for movement upon antifriction means capable of engaging said means in the closing movement to effect automatic lowering movement of the doors and establish frictional engagement thereof with supporting means.

A further object is to provide railway house cars having sliding doors and carrying rolling means adapted to be projected'to support said doors for antifrictional movement and to be retracted to cause frictional engagement between the doors and supports fixed to said cars.

Other objects of theinvention will become clear as the description thereof proceeds.

In the drawings forming part of this specification Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of the side of a railway house car upon which the invention is utilized, a sliding door mounted upon said side being shown in closed position;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l,the door being shown in partly open position;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary elevation on an enlarged scale of a portion of the structure embodying the invention shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken on line dl of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken on line 55 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is an elevation of a modified form of the invention; 1

Figure '7 is a vertical section taken on line l--| of Figure 6; and

Figure 8 is a plan view of the structure shown in Figure 6.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, the numeral Ill designates a portion of a side of a railway house car upon which is mounted for sliding movement a door ll adapted to close the door opening !2 provided in the car side. Said door may be of any preferred construction and, as illustrated, comprises a metallic panel l3 formed with a plurality of horizontally extending corrugations l4 which merge at their ends with vertical corrugations l5 and It provided in the metallic panel inwardly of the vertical edges of thedoor. The metallic panel l3 is suitably reinforced at the vertical and horizontal margins thereof, the reinforcement for the lower horizontal' margin preferably taking the form of a Z-bar l1 disposed with its web l8 substantially horizontally and with its oppositely extending flanges I 9 and 20 positioned in spaced vertical planes. The flange I9 is positioned between the lower margin of the panel l3 and a backing plate 2| and secured to said paneland backing plate as by rivets 22. In its closed position the door is adapted to be locked to the side ill of the railway house car by means of a locking mechanism indicated generally by the numeral 23. The opening movement of the door is limited by means of the stop member 24 carried preferably by the car side It).

The construction of the side ID of the railway house car may include an angle side sill 25 pcsitioned with one leg 26 extending upwardly. This leg within the door opening I2 is coped as indicated at 21 and a threshhold plate 28 disposed upon the floor 29 within the door opening extends outwardly from said opening into proximity with the inner face of the door and is supported beyond said opening by means of an angle member 30 secured to the leg 26 of the side sill. The sill 25 is preferably reinforced by means of a channel member 31 which, if desired, mayextend the entire length of the car. The web 32 'of the reinforcing channel member 3| has secured thereto a plurality of spaced brackets 33 adapted, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 4 of the drawings to frictionally engage the hori zontally disposed web I8 of the Z-bar reinforcing member l1 secured to thedoor so as to pro vide frictional support for said door in its normal or lowered position.

to 5, inclusive, comprises a body portion 34 se- It will be apparent that in the normal or lowered position of the door II the frictional en gagement thereof with the brackets 33 will prevent or at least retard sliding movement of the door in any position thereof between closed and full open positions. Means has been provided whereby when it is desired to move the door said door maybe supported upon antifriction means so asto enhance the ease of movement thereof. To this end each of the brackets 33 is provided with mechanism whereby the door may be elevated so as to break the frictional engagement thereof with the brackets and be disposed upon antifriction means for sliding movement.

Each of the brackets illustrated. in Figures 1 cured to the web 32 of the channel reinforcing member 3| as by means of rivets.35. ;The-bodyy portion 34 of each of the brackets is provided with a bearing 36 and outwardly extending spaced vertically disposed flanges 31 and 38. At their outer ends these flanges are formed so as to provide portions 39 and 40 extending substantially parallel to theweb' 32 'and to which the cover member 4|. of the brackets 33 is adapted to be secured'as by means of rivets 42. These rivets,- as clearly shown in Figure 5 of the drawings, are disposed in spaced relation to the web 32 ofnthechannel reinforcing member whereby removaljof the cover member 4! may be hadfor the purpose of repair or replacement of the mechthe door upon the car side.

anism hereinafter described carried by the brackets without disturbing the relationship of 4| is provided with a bearing 43 disposed in horizontalalignment with the bearing 36 formed in -drawings, the trunnions 45and 46 are disposed parent, particularly from the showing of Figure 4 intermediate the endsof the roller retainer. A roller 4.! is mounted upon the upper end of each offlthe. roller retainers44, each of said rollers preferably-being provided with roller bearings 48. The lower ends of each of the retainers 44 are connected by means of an actuating bar 49 whereby simultaneous operation of the mecha-' nism above referred to may be had. This con- ,nection, as more clearly illustrated in'Figures 3 'and4 of the drawings, may be eifectedbymeans of lugs 50. formed preferably integral with said retainers, said lugsextending throughvopenings formed. at proper intervals in flattened portions 5] .of.the hollow actuating bar 49. It will beapofthe drawings, that the lugs 56and the actuatinglbar 49 arepositioned in proximity to the reinforcing member 3|. Thisrelationshipaffords protection for the actuating, bar and prevents accidentaldisengagement thereoffrom the lugs. An operating lever 52.;conveniently. mounted upon the. channel reinforcingmember-3l may be utilized to m art movement-tothe connecting bar 49 to aiTect operation of the roller retainers. The lever 52. maybe pivotally. connected, as-indicated at,5 3', tdoneendot the -actuating bar.

'The roller retainers 44, with the exception of V theflrst retainer, thatis, the one. adjacent the; ;forward margin of the door opening areidenti The cover member cal in construction. The retainer which is secured adjacent the forward margin of the door opening, however, is provided additionally with an inwardly extending projection 54 adapted, during the elevation of the door by means of the hereinbefore described mechanism, to engage a shoulder 55 which may be provided by coping the downwardly extending vertical flange 20 of the Z-bar reinforcing member I! as indicated at 56.

A somewhat modified form of bracket and roller retainer structure is illustrated in Figures 6 to 8,

inclusive. The bracket 51 shown in these figures of the drawings is a one-piece bracket provided with aligned vertically extending grooves the upper ends of which are open as indicated at 60 and the lower ends of which are closed in order to provide bearings 6 I andfiz, respectively. A roller retainer 63 may be assembled with the bracket 51 by downward movement of said retainer in said bracket. The retainer. isprov-ided intermediate its ends with aligned trunnions 64 and 65 which inthe assembly of the retainer with the bracket areinserted-into theopen-ends-of the grooves 58 and 59 and moved downwardly insaid brackets until the trunnion s'are supported in the bearings BI and 62 of the brackets. The upper end of the roller retainer 63 carries a roller 66 while the lower end of said retainer is provided with spaced flanges 6-"! and 68 between which the actuating bar 49 is disposed for connection to a plurality of such retainers by meansof rivets such as 69 extending through the flanges 61 and 68 and apertures provided in the flattened portions 5| of said bar. The roller retainer 63, which is to be positioned adjacent the forward margin of the door opening, is provided with an inwardly extending projection III as in the case of the previously described embodiment of the invention.

While twoformsof the-invention have'been illustrated it will be apparent that the following operation isapplicable to both of these forms. To move the door from'itsclosed'position illustrated in Figure 1' of the drawings toward open position the locking mechanism 23 is released. The lever 52 is thenagrasped and moved in a clockwise directionasviewed in Figure 1 so as-to.

exert a pull toward the left upon the actuating bar 49. The movementthus imparted to said barisin turn effective.tocause-swinging movement ofv the rollerretainers whereupon the-rollers are projected beyond the brackets tlnough openings provided therein-into. engagement with the web-l8 of 'the-.Z-shaped reinforcing member lI-andthedoor-H is elevated upon said rollers. It will bev apparent from Figure '2 of the drawings, in which the door is shown in its elevated position, that the axis of the rollers will lie slightly to the right, as viewed in this. figure, .ofthe. center. of the trunnionsprovidedon the .rollerretainers. In View of this relationship it will be apparent that subsequent to elevation of the door itmay be moved to any desired position without further attention being paid to the elevating mechanism. The door may readilybe again disposed in frictional engagement with the'brackets by operation of the'lever 52 in a counterclockwisedirection. If the door isaccidentally left in openposltion upon the rollers this result may also be obtained by the jarring of the car.

As hereinafter explainedmhe first; roller: retainer carries an inwardly extendingiprojection. This projectionds disposed: in such relationship with the abutment provided on the.Z.-jbar.rein.

forcing member that during, the latter part of the swinging movement of the. retainer the projection will engage said abutment so as to impart opening movement to the door. Similarly as the door is moved toward closed position said abutment will engage said lug in the final closing movement of the door so that the retainers will automatically be swung so as to retract the rollers within the brackets, causing the door to be lowered into frictional engagement with said brackets. It will be evident in view of the swinging movement of the roller retainers that a horizontal displacement will be imparted to the rollers so that the door will be carried forward in the lowering movement thereof to insure closing of the door.

It is apparent that numerous changes and modifications in the details of the invention will be clear to those skilled in the art. It is intended, therefore, that all such modifications and changes be comprehended within this invention, which is to be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a railway house car, in combination, a sliding door, a plurality of spaced brackets secured to said car adapted to frictionally support said door, a roller retainer journaled intermediate its ends to each of said brackets, a roller carried by and extending beyond one end of each retainer, a connecting bar pivotally secured adjacent the opposite end of each retainer and means for actuating said bar to project said rollers beyond said brackets to elevate said door.

2. In a railway house car, in combination, a sliding door, a plurality of spaced brackets secured to said car adapted to frictionally support said door, a roller retainer journaled intermediate its ends to each of said brackets, a roller carried by and extending beyond one end of each retainer, a connecting bar pivotally secured adjacent the opposite end of each retainer and means for actuating said bar to project said rollersbeyond said brackets to elevate said door, and means provided on one of said retainers engageable with said door during elevation thereof to impart initial opening movement thereto.

3. In a railway house car, in combination, a side sill, a sliding door, a plurality of brackets secured to said sill adapted to frictionally support said door, a roller retainer journaled intermediate its ends to each of said brackets, a roller carried by and extending beyond one end of each retainer, a connecting bar pivotally secured adjacent the opposite end of each retainer and means for actuating said bar to project said rollers beyond said brackets to elevate said door, said bar being disposed in proximity to said sill for the purpose set forth.

4. In a, railway house car, in combination, a sliding door, a plurality of spaced brackets secured to said car adapted to frictionally support said door, means including rollers carried by said brackets adapted to engage and elevate said door, said rollers being maintained in door engaging position during movement of said door thereon, said means being actuated by said door in the final closing movement thereof to effect disengagement between said rollers and said door for the purpose set forth.

5. In a railway house car, in combination, a sliding door, a plurality of spaced brackets secured to said car adapted to frictionally support said door, means including rollers journaled in said brackets adapted to engage and elevate said door, said rollers being disposed slightly beyond the centers of the journals to maintain the door in elevated position, said door in the final closing movement thereof disengaging said means from said doorfor the purpose set forth.

6. In a railway house car, in combination, a sliding door, a plurality of spaced brackets secured to said caradapted to frictionally support saiddoor, means carried bysaid brackets adapted to engage and elevate said door and means provided on said first mentioned means for engaging and imparting initial openingmovement to said door said door inthefinal closing movement thereof engaging said second mentioned means to impart lowering movement to said first mentioned means for the purpose set forth.

7. In a railway house car, a sliding door, spaced brackets secured to said car adapted to frictionally support said door in its normal position, spaced grooves provided in each bracket, the upper ends of said grooves being open and the lower ends thereof being closed to provide bearings, a roller retainer for each bracket having oppositely extending trunnions intermediate its ends journaled in said bearings, a roller mounted upon the upper end of each detainer disposed within its bracket in the normal position of said door, a bar connecting said retainers for simultaneous movement and means for actuating said bar to project said rollers beyond said brackets to elevate said door.

8. In a railway house car, a sliding door, spaced brackets secured to said car adapted to frictionally support said door in its normal position, spaced grooves provided in each bracket, the

upper ends of said grooves being open and the.

lower ends thereof being closed to provide bearings, a roller retainer for each bracket having oppositely extending trunnions intermediate its ends adapted to be journaled in said bearings, said retainers being disposed in said brackets by insertion through the open ends of said grooves.

9. In a railway house car, a sliding door, spaced one-piece brackets secured to' said car adapted to frictionally support said door in its normal position, spaced grooves provided in each bracket, the upper ends of said grooves being open and the lower ends thereof being closed to provide bearings, a roller retainer for each bracket having oppositely extending trunnions intermediate its ends journaled in said bearings, a roller mounted upon the upper end of each retainer disposed within its bracket in the normal position of said door, a bar connecting said retainers for simultaneous movement and means for actuating said bar to project said rollers beyond said brackets to elevate said door.

10. In a railway house car, in combination, a sliding door, a plurality of spaced brackets secured to said oar adapted to frictionally support said door, rolling means carried by said brackets, said rolling means being retracted within said brackets when the latter frictionally support said door, and means for projecting said rolling means beyond said brackets into engagement with said door for elevating said door.

11. In a railway house car, in combination, a sliding door, a plurality of spaced brackets secured to said car adapted to frictionally support said door, rolling means carried by said brackets, and longitudinally movable means for pro- J'ecting said rolling means into engagement with said door for elevating said door.

12. In a railway house car, in combination, a

sliding door, a plurality of spaced brackets se- 75 curedito saidscar" adaptedi to frictionally' support said door; a;-.. roller for: each of. said brackets, means journaled: in-ieach bracket: and carrying saidi rollers, a. member: directly connecting said means for simultaneous movement, and; lever means for: actuating: said: member for'the purpose set' forth.

13; Inarailwayw housecan incombination, a sliding door; a plurality" of spaced brackets secured: to saidicar 1 adapted to frictionallyasupport said: door; a roller for eachof said brackets, means journaled in" each brackett andcarrying said; rollers-,2, member: directly connecting said means for simultaneous movement} and lever answers means for actuating said member for the purpose set forth, said member being disposed in proximity to said carto prevent damage thereto.

14'. In afrailway house car, in combination, a sliding door, a plurality of spaced-brackets securedto said car adaptedto frictionally support said door, aroller foreach of said brackets, means journ-aled ineach bracket and carrying saidrollers,:. a longitudinally movable member directly connecting said means for simultaneous movement'andlever: means for actuating said memher for the purpose setforth.

WILFRED A. BEAUCHAMP. 

